The news that Kit Downes has recently won the Paul Acket Prize, a major prize in the Netherlands, prompted me to check in with him and to get an update about the range of his current projects and albums.
The citation with the award says: “Across various artistic contexts, Kit Downes is a brilliant artist, composer and improviser at the heart of instrumental and musical innovation. As an organist, pianist, and composer, Downes skilfully reimagines his instruments, revealing a new landscape of ever-evolving sonic aesthetics. His work strikes a harmonious balance between melodic intricacies, subtle sensibilities, textural compositions, and finest improvisations, offering an honest testament to the brilliance of an outstanding artist.” ( Raluca Baicu, artistic curator & programmer North Sea Round Town and music programmer BIRD & de Doelen)
- The Award. Press release about the award – “Every year, this award is presented to an artist whose exceptional musical talent makes them deserving of wider recognition” – is HERE, and Kit will receive it at North Sea Jazz on 13 July where he is performing with ENEMY. Previous winners include Eve Risser (2023), Kris Davis (2022), Julian Lage (2019), Kaja Draksler (2018) and Donny McCaslin (2017).
- New album just released on BIMHUIS records. On 26 April, DR. SNAP, a large ensemble commission was released on LP, CD & digitally.. Here is the single ‘Children with Pitchforks’ DR. SNAP is “a brand-new audiovisual work for which the British pianist, organist and composer teamed up with visual artist Juliane Schütz and Ben van Gelder, Robin Fincker, Percy Pursglove, Ketija Ringa Karahona, Reinier Baas, Petter Eldh, James Maddren, Sun-Mi Hong & Veslemøy Narveson.”
- New album with Norma Winstone on ECM. “Outpost of Dreams”, ECM 2811 by the duo of Norma Winstone & Kit Downes will be released on 5 July 2024.
- New album with Andrew Cyrille and Bill Frisell. Breaking the Shell, it has been announced, on Sun Chung’s label Red Hook Records is scheduled to be released in the autumn
- Kit is in a newly-formed, free improvising trio, Exhaust, with saxophonist Camila Nebbia (Argentina-born, Berlin-based) and drummer Andrew Lisle. Kit says: “Here’s a video from the band’s latest concert, at Morphine in Berlin it was a live album recording that we will be releasing next year. We will be touring Feb 3rd-12th and April 10th-20th 2025.
- A further BIMHUIS date with large ensemble in January 2025. Dr SNAP 2 will feature Camila Nebbia, Andrew Lisle, Ole Morten Vagan, Marta Warelis and Otis Sandsjo. Kit: “This will be a follow-on gig to Dr SNAP (with a completely different band and new music!”
